And the night and the woods and you
by LadyTardisOfHogwarts
Summary: Set after Uther's death, and before Arthur's coronation. The boys argue about magic, and Merlin storms off into the woods - later on Arthur follows. Bit slashy, but also friendshsip. Inspired by the poem 'The Voice' by Rupert Brooke. Reviews welcome!


Magic was on its last legs in Camelot, and to Merlin, it seemed he was doing nothing to help. He'd heard too late; a grocer from down the road - Merlin hadn't even known him, and the cold axe fell again. Hurt beyond belief, he ran to Arthur's room, where the prince had been watching, eyes almost closed.

'He didn't do _ANYTHING_!' Merlin stormed in, yelling.

'Excuse me?' the tone of the prince, as well as giving himself time to form a decent reply.

'Arthur - sire, that man, Iwan, has done nothing to harm you, nor the King - Camelot!'

'He was practising sorcery, when he knew it was forbidden.' Arthur replied quietly, as though not quite certain himself.

'He was merely seen sowing his seeds with magic! He wasn't commiting treason! For god's sake, he didn't ask to born a sorcerer. He didn't ask for any of that - do you think it's so easy to control magic?'

'Merlin,' Arthur asked, in a mocking tone that Merlin didn't feel appropriate now, 'When did you become such an expert on magic? Or indeed a fan of magic?'

'I'm not an expert by any means, but I understand the people of this city and their troubles. You're to become King in a matter of days, Arthur - are you going to execute people as blindly as your father? Are Morgana and Morgause,' Merlin took a deep breath and spoke in a strange, low gasp, '- is _Dragoon_ to be the cause for the deaths of hundreds more innocent witches and wizards to come?' Very quickly, Merlin realised he had pushed the boundaries too far. Arthur's eyes had widened, and he was now visibly shaking.

'Get out.' he said quietly. Merlin hesitated, and might have stepped forward. He had to make him understand, before he became King; Arthur needed to trust magic - trust Merlin. He spoke quietly,

'Arthur, you need to listen to me. I _need_ you to trust me when I say - '

'You have _nothing_ to say to me!' and Merlin fled, he himself shaking with rage.

* * *

><p>The sun had already been setting when Merlin went to visit the prince, and by now it was dark. He wandered out of the town, to the forest just by the castle - he had no desire to face Gaius at present. Arthur watched from the window, and saw Merlin ambling into the thick, green woods. He knew Merlin was right, to an extent. But Merlin knew Arthur couldn't have stopped that - and he knew that Arthur wasn't going to purge magic like his father, and at the same time, he knew that he hated magic more than before, and it was Morgana's fault - Dragoon's fault. How could Merlin see right through Arthur, while Arthur could never tell what was right beyond those bright blue eyes? He turned away from the window, Merlin now fully enveloped by the foliage and the dark night.<p>

Merlin was deep in the wood by now, and lay down on the ground. The inky blue sky was disturbed by the lights from the castle - but it was still so much more peaceful out here than Merlin had known for a while.

_'Iacium astra_...' he mumbled under his breath, and traced shapes out with his finger in the air. Gold dust was suspended in the air, vaguely resembling a dragon. Merlin wove his fingers between the specks, until a distant thud shocked him, reminding him of the morning's axe. He blew the gold away.

Merlin calmed down, and he hoped that Arthur had calmed down too. He considered; he wondered who felt more betrayed.

Lancelot had told Merlin to trust Arthur, to tell him before one of them needs each other too much; before one of them gets hurt. Lancelot had understood Merlin - Gwen understood Merlin...it was just bloody Arthur. Arthur was so stubborn sometimes, and Merlin feared he would neverunderstand how much Merlin had been through for him. He clenched his hand into a fist, his nail digging deep into his palms; Arthur knew _nothing_ about Merlin and Merlin hated it.

Merlin started shaking again, overwhelmed by the pressure facing him. He had ruined everything for every sorcerer in Camelot, and there was nothing he could do, save stand by Arthur and support him, as he had always done. The thought of this duty to Arthur steadied Merlin - _it was their destiny_, and he once again became still in the night.

Merlin mumbled ancient words under his breath, and a thin layer of invisible protection spread over him, keeping him warm in the autumn breeze. He intended to stay for only a few minutes more, but sheltered in the peace, away from Camelot and the castle and Arthur - Merlin fell asleep at ease.

* * *

><p>Arthur had been scribbling his speech for the ceremony next week, desperately trying to distract himself from the fact that the time was two o'clock in the morning, and that Merlin hadn't come in and checked on him - as he had done every night since he had arrived, regardless of whether they'd fought or not - and that he hadn't seen his servant's red shirt wander back towards the castle again. Arthur stuck out his lower lip in a frustrated pout, and held his fingers to his temple.<p>

Why hadn't Merlin come back yet? True, this had been their first fight for a very long time, but there was no need to sulk till two! Unless, of course, he wasn't sulking, and something had happened - and Arthur thought this more than likely, given it was Merlin. He sighed, threw down his quill, slipped on his cloak and picked up his sword. Arthur left in the dimly lit castle for the forest.

He passed by Gaius', and opened the door just wide enough to see that Merlin's usual mess was not there. Arthur quickened his pace, soon swallowed by the green ahead. He tore through the forest, cursing Merlin violently under his breath as he did. Arthur was better than what Merlin thought, he would be King soon and he would do it right... Who was _Merlin_, of all people, to give authority on the kindness of the sorcerers? Arthur held out his torch to illuminate the dark beyond him, and plundered through, already far into the forest. He began to panic; a sense of urgency overcame him that he had not felt before - he didn't know why, when Merlin was probably just drunk at the tavern. Finally, after ten minutes or so of aimless wandering, Arthur's golden light illuminated the figure of Merlin, curled up by a tree, sleeping deeply.

Arthur sighed, an involuntary breath of relief that did not wake the young warlock.

'You're an idiot. You're a clotpole, a prat, and you're wrong.' Arthur muttered under his breath, laying his flame near Merlin, who looked freezing to Arthur. He sat down next to Merlin, and continued to mumble when he was sure that Merlin was asleep, 'I can't believe I ran all this way and you're just conked out in the forest. You were meant to fluff my pillows; _worst servant ever_. And I quite hate you sometimes, you know, Merlin? I have lost so much to magic, do you even know? I have lost anyone I ever loved to magic and I will not see it harm anyone more, not Gwen, not y-

And now what, now I'm stuck in the forest with my terrible court jester, who didn't even bring a flame to protect himself?' Arthur spoke more softly, 'Just how angry were you? Why would you even be so upset - you're Merlin, _on my side_, remember?' Arthur paused and stared at Merlin, who was still in undisturbed sleep. 'I have no idea what I'll do with you, Merlin.' he sighed finally, and laid his cloak over the wizard. Then Arthur stared back at the castle, practically pitch black now. He glanced down, and then lowered himself, and lay next to Merlin on the ground, so that they were almost touching. Arthur frowned to himself, it was warm down here - cold where he had been sitting a moment ago, but strangely warm next to Merlin. He turned on his side, so that his face was near to Merlin's, barely a gap for their breath to pass between. Beneath the veil of Merlin's magic, Arthur fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Merlin arose in the morning with the start, vaguely surprised to feel leaves between his fingers. With eyes closed, he stretched his hands out on the ground, searching for his bag, when his fingers came over Arthur's own. Merlin opened his eyes in shock, and was suddenly acutely aware of Arthur's breath by his neck. His golden head was resting in the crook of Merlin's neck. Merlin slowly withdrew himself, and stood up, staring at the prince. Bewildered beyond belief, he was sure that the last thing they had done was fight! He smiled at Arthur, who was still glowing warm and sleeping in the wake of Merlin's spell. With no explanation for Arthur's behaviour, Merlin gently threw the cloak that had been spread over him on top of Arthur.<p>

'You're definitely a strange one, Arthur.' Merlin half laughed, quietly. He knelt down by the sleeping prince's head and kissed him lightly on his forehead. 'Do by me well, Arthur.' he whispered quickly near Arthur's ear, and then ran out of the forest, back to the castle.

* * *

><p>Without being awoken by Merlin, it took Arthur a very long time to wake himself. When, eventually, Merlin's spell wore off, Arthur awoke, slightly cold in the autumn morning air. He wondered where the hell Merlin had gotten to, and then found himself relieved that Merlin had left, as he could avoid the awkward situation of explaining his own presence.<p>

He found next to him a bundle, presumably, of food; bread, spreads, fruit - Arthur's standard breakfast. Arthur snorted at Merlin's surprising efficiency and opened the bundle. Beneath the food Arthur found a hastily scribbled note:

_I am sorry for last night - I am undoubtedly yours, Arthur. But I need you to trust me though, please, Sire. You are to be King, then I will always be there for you - Merlin and Arthur, but you need to wholly trust me and it will be fine._

_I had to go clean your room and the stables and attend to Gaius. Eat your breakfast in peace and head back soon, you have a meeting in the throne room._

_Merlin._

Arthur read the note carefully, and then did as Merlin asked.


End file.
